The royal family 'couldn't survive' without Kate Middleton, claims royal expert

Kate Middleton has been hailed as one of the most important figures in the royal family, and the one to keep the House of Windsor together.

Royal author, Tina Brown, believes the royal family would "crumble" without the Duchess of Cambridge, although there were doubts on how the 40-year-old royal would fair before she joined the fold.

Speaking to The Washington Post, Tina - who is the author of The Palace Papers: Inside The House Of Windsor - The Truth And The Turmoil, said: "In 2011, the question mark over Kate Middleton was whether a girl of such unexalted origins could successfully evolve into a future Queen.

"Now the only question is how the House of Windsor could survive without her."

Tina holds the Duchess of Cambridge - who has sons Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis with husband Prince William - in high regard because she is "modern", well educated, and devoted to the royal family and the duties that come with her role.

Tine continued: "[The Royal Family] would, I think, crumble at the moment without her because she’s the only modern, beautiful woman who’s well-educated, substantial in herself, who’s actually wanting to commit herself to the rigours of this institution. Not many young women could do that.

"If for any reason, she thought like Meghan, ‘I’m out of here, I can do much better,’ it would be a disaster."

Though Meghan Markle and Prince Harry quit the royal family and the royal duties back in 2020, and set up a new life in America, Tina believes the 37-year-old royal will want to come back in the future, despite the pair have snubbing a number of royal engagements over the years, including Prince Philip’s Thanksgiving Service at Westminster Abbey last month,

Speaking previously on Sway podcast, she said: “I think that Harry is going to want to come back when the Queen dies to serve his country.

“And I think they will find a way to reel him in.

“And it’s possible that Meghan – maybe they will have a commuter arrangement. I don’t know. I don’t see Meghan ever wanting to go back. She disliked England.”